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William R. Thorsen House
Photo: Beerguy721, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · tap to enlarge
National Register of Historic Places

William R. Thorsen House

Listed as “Thorsen, William R., House” · Also known as Sigma Phi Place

On the National Register since 197848 years
BungalowListed 1978Berkeley
DirectionsAdd an old photo

Many listed buildings are private homes. Please enjoy them from the street.

About

About William R. Thorsen House

William R. Thorsen House, at 2307 Piedmont Ave., was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Nov 20, 1978. It was among the first 12 of Berkeley’s 63 listings. The Register lists it for its architecture, at the state level. It describes its style as Bungalow, as it does for 16 other California listings. Five more Register listings are within a quarter mile.

What it isRegistered Historic Place in Alameda, California, United States. From Wikidata (CC0). Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

PDFRead the original nominationThe form that put it on the Register, with its history, photos and a map · 29 MB · National Archives↗
Visit

Make it a walk: 5 landmarks in about 20 minutes

2307 Piedmont Ave., Berkeley · about 0.6 miles on foot, as the crow flies

DirectionsWalk the tour in Google Maps
  1. 1William R. Thorsen HouseStart here
  2. 2California Memorial StadiumClassical Revival · 0.1 mi on
  3. 3Weston Havens HouseModerne · Built 1940 · 0.1 mi on
  4. 4Bowles HallCollegiate Gothic · 0.3 mi on
  5. 5Girton HallBungalow/Craftsman · next door
Around it

24 more Register listings within half a mile

★ National Historic Landmark · D district · B building · S site. Each opens its own page.

BUniversity Art MuseumBuilding0.2 miBCollege Women's ClubBuilding0.2 miBCowell Memorial HospitalBeaux Arts Classicism · Built 19300.2 mi★First Church of Christ, ScientistGothic0.3 miBAnna Head School for GirlsShingle Style · Built 18870.3 miBHearst Gymnasium for WomenBuilt 19270.3 miBFaculty ClubBuilt 19020.3 miBSenior HallBuilding0.3 miDState Asylum for the Deaf,Dumb and BlindDistrict0.4 miSPeople’s ParkSite0.4 miStSather Gate and BridgeClassical Revival · Built 19100.4 miBSouth HallSecond Empire · Built 18730.4 miBWheeler HallClassical Revival0.4 miBSather TowerLate Gothic Revival · Built 19170.4 miBLeConte HallBeaux Arts Classicism0.4 mi★Room 307, Gilman Hall, University of CaliforniaBuilding0.4 miSHearst Greek TheatreBuilt 19030.4 miBSt. John's Presbyterian ChurchShingle Style0.5 mi
Show the other 6
BFirst Unitarian ChurchShingle Style · Built 18980.5 miBDurant HallClassical Revival · Built 19110.5 miBCalifornia HallClassical Revival0.5 miBDoe Memorial LibraryClassical Revival0.5 miBHearst Memorial Mining BuildingClassical Revival · Built 19070.5 miBPhi Delta Theta Chapter HouseMediterranean0.5 mi

Memories of William R. Thorsen House

The record says what it is. Neighbors know what it means.

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Questions about William R. Thorsen House

Is William R. Thorsen House on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. It was added on Nov 20, 1978 (Register number 78000646).

Is William R. Thorsen House a National Historic Landmark?

No. It is on the National Register; California has 141 National Historic Landmarks. The nearest is First Church of Christ, Scientist, 0.3 miles away.

Can you visit William R. Thorsen House?

Our record doesn’t say whether it is open to visitors. Many listed buildings are private, so it may only be seen from the street.

Where can I read the history of William R. Thorsen House?

In its National Register nomination, the form that put it on the Register: a 29 MB PDF at the National Archives, linked on this page.

Sources: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · National Archives catalog record 123858353 · Wikidata. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.